SAN DIEGO — The National Community Pharmacists Association released its third online pharmacy benefit manager video at the Association’s Annual Convention. Titled “Fed Up With Phil,” the video is part of campaign to create greater awareness of how pharmacy benefit managers can undermine the relationship between patients and their pharmacists.

NCPA’s CEO B. Douglas Hoey, R.Ph, said the organization will work this year to raise awareness among patients, plan sponsors and policy makers about how independent pharmacists help patients get the maximum value of their health plan.

Hoey said NCPA medicine adherence programs were a dominant theme at the meeting, with specialized programming and a special section devoted to the issue in the exhibition hall.

Lack of adherence costs the U.S. $300 billion a year, said Hoey. The shift to a preventive care philosophy makes it more crucial that pharmacists are recognized for their roles as healthcare providers, he said.

Long-term care niche marketing was also a hot topic at the meeting with a half-day of programming and a special section in the exhibition hall devoted to the area.

Donnie Calhoun, NCPA’s president elect, said that in 2012 the organization will focus on expanding community pharmacies’ scope of practice and will seek provider status for pharmacists. “It’s time we championed the patient’s choice of pharmacy and our role as healthcare providers,” he said.

Calhoun, who has worked as a pharmacist for 20 years and is the owner of a community pharmacy in Anniston, Ala., said that pharmacists should be paid for immunizing patients as well as providing the consultation and follow-up care essential to ensuring that patients adhere to their medication and healthcare regimen.

On the legislative front, John Coster, NCPA’s senior VP government affairs, said the organization will be focusing on “bringing more sense to how PBMs regulate pharmacies” and how much pharmacists will be paid for services, and will support legislation that exempts small pharmacies from bidding on Medicare competitive acquisition programs and pricing.

The unanimous vote in support of the merger follows Watson’s agreement to divest a number of marketed and pipeline products to Par Pharmaceutical and Sandoz as a condition to obtaining FTC approval.

The parties have now obtained all regulatory approvals required to close the transaction, and expect to complete the acquisition in late October or early November. The acquisition is expected to create the world’s third-largest generic drug maker; Actavis operates in more than 40 countries and markets more than 1,000 products.

Kerr rolls out new pharmacy app

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug has broadened its services with a new mobile pharmacy application.

Powered by mscripts, the solution enables Kerr Drug customers to refill prescriptions, and receive pickup and dosage reminders through the convenience of their mobile phones. Smartphone users can access the store locator, weekly specials and do a quick refill by scanning the QR code on prescription bottles. A text messaging option for non-smartphone users enables patients to receive many of the same benefits.

The new app and its mobile website, m.kerrdrug.com, operate on a secure network created by San Francisco-based mscripts, a leader in mobile pharmacy solutions. The easy-to-use app is available as a free download through Apple iTunes, the Android Market, Blackberry App World or KerrDrug.com.

Forgotten Password

Registration complete

REGISTER

USERNAME *

Spaces are allowed; punctuation is not allowed except for periods, hyphens, and underscores.

E-MAIL ADDRESS *

A valid e-mail address. All e-mails from the system will be sent to this address. The e-mail address is not made public and will only be used if you wish to receive a new password or wish to receive certain news or notifications by e-mail.

Password *

Confirm Password *

Please choose a password for your account; it must be 8 - 30 characters. .

First Name *

Last Name *

Company Name *

Job Title *

ZIP *

Are you a *

Retailer or Healthcare professional

Non-Retailer

How many stores do you operate?: *

Which best describes the business/industry you work in?: *

Which best describes your job title?: *

Please select the newsletters you would like to subscribe to

DSN A.M.
Daily news stories covering the retail drug industry

Breaking News
First-to-the-market with developing stories in the industry